Our top 12 volunteering ideas in Volunteers’ Week

One of the most exciting things about retirement is the wealth of new opportunities on offer which can include volunteering. Volunteers are invaluable.

Volunteering offers vital help to people in need, worthwhile causes, and the community, but the benefits can be even greater for you, the volunteer. 

Volunteering and helping others can reduce stress, combat depression, keep you mentally stimulated, develop new skills, provide a sense of purpose and widen your social network .

To support Volunteer’s Week (1 – 7 June 2019) here are our top 12 volunteering suggestions who would value your offer to volunteer, these range from helping to improve childhood literacy, volunteering in your local communities and/or hospitals, walking dogs at a rescue centre, helping asylum seekers and there is so much more out there…

1. Volunteering matters for our community – (volunteeringmatters.org.uk) Volunteers make a massive difference to people and communities all over the UK, from providing advice to troubled families, helping children to read, or empowering people with disabilities.

2. Help for Heroes – (helpforheroes.org.uk) There are hundreds of ways you can volunteer for Help for Heroes. Whatever you do and no matter how much time you have, they are truly grateful for all your support.

3. Action Tutoring – (actiontutoring.org.uk) education charity supporting pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to achieve a meaningful level of academic attainment, with a view to helping them progress to further education, employment or training. Volunteer as a tutor, or partner with as a primary or secondary school, to support pupils to increase their subject knowledge, confidence and study skills and reach their potential.

4. Schoolreaders – (schoolreaders.org) We improve childhood literacy by providing volunteers to give one-to-one reading practice to children in UK primary schools. Help us by getting involved, donating or volunteering

5. Coram Beanstalk – (beanstalkcharity.co.uk) Coram Beanstalk recruits, trains and supports volunteers to provide one-to-one literacy support in early years settings and primary schools to children who have fallen behind with their reading. Coram Beanstalk’s volunteers transform the lives of the children they support, turning them into confident, passionate and able readers.

6. Refugee Council – (refugeecouncil.org.uk) The Refugee Council is one of the leading charities in the UK offering support and advice to people who are seeking asylum.

7. Become a trustee – (reachvolunteering.org.uk) Charity trustees play a very important role in making sure that the charity is run in the interests of the people it is there to support. They strategically oversee the management and administration of the organisation.

8. Walking dogs at a rescue centre – (saveapet.co.uk) Walking a dog regularly is a very important service that can be offered to rescue centres. Most centre staff simply do not have the time to give each dog a long walk, instead they welcome the service of volunteer dog walkers.

9. Volunteering for guide dogs – (guidedogs.org.uk) Give a little time to Guide Dogs and make a big difference to someone’s life. They rely on the brilliant volunteers who give their time to help the charity in so many ways. There are many great volunteering opportunities to get involved in, even an hour makes a big difference. Volunteers can transform the lives of people living with sight loss, whether it is raising puppies, sighted guiding, collecting funds or cheering on at event participants. There really is something for everyone!

10. Volunteering in hospitals – (royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk) Volunteering in hospitals provides a chance to learn new skills or maintain old ones – it’s no surprise that many of our volunteers have worked at the hospitals where they now volunteer. You may be working towards a qualification or need a stepping stone back into employment within the NHS/a health environment and want to gain valuable experience. Volunteering with Royal Voluntary Service will give you a chance for personal development and to help build your confidence.

11. Hospital trolleys – Go on, give us a push! Could you spare some time to do a ward round with our hospital trolley service?

12. How to become a child mentor – (thekidsnetwok.org.uk) Give back and volunteer with The Kids Network by becoming a positive role model. Make a difference to a child’s life by building their confidence, resilience and developing the tools to manage feelings for a positive future.

Do you have any favourite charities who would love help from volunteer? Let us know and we will share.